Thill-coupling.



Patented Oct; 9, I900.

D R E H W H S C w 0L 6 9 5 6 0 N THILL ODUPLlNG.

(Application filed.- Ieb. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Ania 1-.

UNHED STATES -Fries.

WILLIAM C. SHIPHERD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

THILL-COUPLlNGh SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO.659,262, dated October 9, 1900.

Application filed February 24:, 1900. Serial No. 6,351. 'iNo model.)

T0 (1% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. SHIPHERD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Thin-Couplings; and I dodeclare that the following is a full, clear,

andexact description of the invention,which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to thill-couplings; and the invention consists in athill-coupling constructed to make convenient the engagement anddisengagement of the thills and to avoid possible rattling, allsubstantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation ofmy improved bifurcated or divided to form arms I), which come down atthe opposite sides of the cliparm d just in front of the clip-loop a andat the base of said arm d, where the metal isheavy, I form a broadconcave hearing or seat 01 which afiords a rest for the thill. In thisinstance also the couplingpin or cross-bolt E is secured permanently inthe bifurcations b of the thill-iron, and upon or around it is a bushingor sleeve o of yielding material, preferably rubber, and which helps tomakea close working connection and to prevent rattling. A pivot-pin 0forms the immediate support forjaw O on arm d of the clip, and the saidjaw has a central opening through which it is slipped over the arm toits pivot-point thereon,when the pin 0 is inserted. The jaw portionproper is rounded to engage over the sleeve 0 on the coupling-rod E inthe thilliron, as seen in Fig. l, and serves to hold the thill down inworking position, while the opposite end of said jaw has an opensemiciroular cavity 0 to work in conjunction with the fastening-screw Eand a segmental flange 12 about said cavity on its under side serves toenter the cavity in not F on said rod and makea locking engagement. Inthisinstance also the said nut has an undulating or scalloped edge 13 tolock on the jaw C next behind the flange 12, so that no jarring or otherordinary cause can dislodge said nut when it has been tightened up foruse.

The tightening-screw E is pivoted directly in the outer end of armd insuch manner that it can be swung on a radius under the end of jaw O orclear around to the top of arm d toward the top of the jaw, and its headis slightly upset to prevent possible losing ofi of the nut. It will bealso noticed that in this construction the strain of the draft or pullcomes chiefly upon the strong arm d by reason of the depth of the seat(1 therein, because the said arm is shouldered or rounded up at suchelevation at the front of its seat, as seen in Fig. 1, and the jawserves more especially as aconfining member for the thilliron.

The coupling-bolt or cross-pin E is permanently secured in theshaft-iron and hence removed with the shaft, and it may be of anypreferred form.

When the term thill-iron occurs herein, itshould be considered andconstrued as including pole-irons as well, because the iron is used bothwith shafts or thills and poles or tongues indiscriminately, and so faras this description and the claims are concerned it is immaterialwhether one or the other is meant.

W hen the jaw C is liberated from screw E and nut .F,it swings of itsown gravity to the open position shown'in Fig. 3, and this throws thecoupling open to either remove or to replace the thill or pole withoutany obstruction whatsoever, and it is the work of only a few seconds torelease or tighten the screw and nut.

What I claim is 1. In thill-couplings, a clip having aforwardly-projecting arm with a seat on its top for the thill or poleiron, and a locking-jaw pivoted between its ends on said arm in front ofsaid seat and extending below the same at its free end, and a screwpivoted on said arm engaging the said free end of the jaw to pressitinto engagement,substantiallyas described,

2. The clip and its arm having a seat for the thill or pole iron, alocking-jaw pivoted between its ends on said arm in front of said seat,and having its upper end adapted to swing over said seat to engage onthe thill or pole iron extending forward below said arm, a screw pivotedon the extremity of said arm and a nut thereon to engage beneath thefront end of the locking-jaw, substantially as described.

3. The clip having a forwardly-projecting

